General Electric Company

Richard Edwin Warren, Jr

Narendra Digamber Joshi

Douglas Carl Hofer

Christian Lee Vandervort

Thomas Frank Fric

James Michael Caldwell

Phillip Randall Staver

Sanjay M Correa

Steven George Goebel

Paolo Graziosi

Ramani Mani

Anil Gulati

Steven Marakovits

Paul R Angel

Eayre Bruce Voorhees

Dennis Steenburgh

Edward J Lin

Robert Arvin Heeden

Kelley A Foresman

A pulse laser is configured for projecting a pulsed laser beam at a target site on a fluid film atop a workpiece for laser shock peening the workpiece. The fluid film is monitored by a probe laser which projects a probe laser beam at the target site, and an optical detector which detects reflection of the probe beam from the target site. The pulse laser is coordinated by the detector in order to emit the pulsed beam in response to the condition of the monitored film.

Monitored laser shock peening

A diffuser includes an opening along the diffuser wall for preventing or delaying boundary layer separation of the main flow. The opening may include a curved passageway having a curvature convex relative to the main flow for utilizing the Coanda effect. A gas turbine may include the diffuser with an opening and a centerbody with an opening, each for providing a secondary flow of fluid into the diffuser. The gas turbine may direct fluid from an upstream turbine stage to the opening. A steam turbine may include the diffuser and may situate the opening downstream the diffuser inlet but upstream the location of boundary separation.

Fluidic actuation for improved diffuser performance

An apparatus for premixing fuel and air prior to combustion in a gas turbine engine, including: a linear mixing duct having a circular cross-section defined by a wall; a centerbody located along a central axis of the mixing duct and extending substantially the full length of the mixing duct, the centerbody having a plurality of orifices therein to inject fuel into the mixing duct with an axial velocity component; a fuel supply in flow communication with the centerbody orifices; an outer annular swirler located adjacent an upstream end of the mixing duct and including a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes oriented so as to swirl air flowing therethrough in a first direction; an inner annular swirler located adjacent the mixing duct upstream end and including a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes, the vanes having an outer radial portion having a leading edge and a trailing edge oriented so as to swirl air flowing therethrough in a second direction opposite the first swirl direction by the outer annular swirler vanes and an inner radial portion with a leading edge and a trailing edge oriented so as to provide a boundary layer of air substantially along the centerbody; and, a hub separating the inner and outer annular swirlers to permit independent rotation of an air stream therethrough. The outer annular swirler may also include vanes having an inner radial portion with a leading edge and a trailing edge oriented so as to swirl the air flow therethrough and an outer radial portion having a leading edge and a trailing edge oriented so as to provide a boundary layer of air substantially along the mixing duct wall. High pressure air is injected from a compressor into the mixing duct through the inner and outer annular swirlers and fuel is injected into the mixing duct so that the high pressure air and the fuel is uniformly mixed therein, whereby minimal formation of pollutants is produced when the fuel/air mixture is exhausted out the downstream end of the mixing duct into a combustor and ignited.

Air fuel mixer for gas turbine combustor

A quiet fill water system for a washing machine comprises a washing tub having an outer wall and an entry port disposed within the outer wall and a valve having a water inlet and a water outlet. A water reservoir is coupled to the outer wall, the water reservoir having a tube entry port, a cup-shaped bottom portion and a water outlet wherein the water outlet is mated with the outer wall entry port so as to provide fluid communication between the water reservoir and the washing tub. A capillary tube having a first end, a second end and a tip portion is disposed such that the first end is coupled to the water outlet of the valve and the second end is positioned within the tube entry port so that the tip portion is disposed within the cup-portion of the water reservoir at a lower position relative to the water outlet such that a quiescent reservoir of water is formed during a fill period so as to decrease the level of noise of the fill period.

Quiet water fill system

In a gas turbine having a transition region between a combustor and turbine stage including a transition piece duct extending between a combustor liner and the turbine stage; an impingement sleeve surrounding the transition piece, the impingement sleeve having a plurality of apertures therein; and a compressor diffuser directing compressor discharge air into the transition region, an improvement wherein the diffuser includes a pair of outer walls flaring outwardly in a direction of compressor discharge air flow; and a pair of baffles within a flow area defined by the pair of outer diffuser walls which divide the flow area into three discrete flow passages. One passage has a substantially radial flow component; a second passage has both radial and axial flow components; and a third passage has a substantially axial flow component.

Tri-passage diffuser for a gas turbine

Combustion-induced unsteady oscillations referred to as screech are suppressed in gas turbine combustors by a plurality (preferably two to six) of screech suppression members disposed in the premixers of the combustors. The screech suppression members are attached to the centerbody of the premixer and extend radially outward, nearly into contact with the inner surface of the premixer tube. The screech suppression members are uniformly spaced about the centerbody and are axially positioned at or near the end of the centerbody which is closest to the main combustion chamber. Alternatively, each screech suppression member can be attached to the inner surface of the premixer tube and extend radially inward nearly into contact with the centerbody. Possible shapes of the screech suppression members include a thick block, a thin rectangular plate, a triangular plate, a V-shaped member, and a cylindrical bar.

Screech suppressor for advanced low emissions gas turbine combustor

A supersonic combustion ramjet having a supersonic combustor. The supersonic combustor has a backward-facing step formed in a wall thereof and a forward-facing ramp formed in the wall downstream from the step. Hydrogen fuel is injected into the air flow by axially-directed fuel injectors disposed in the step and/or normally-directed fuel injectors disposed in the ramp. The ramp is inclined toward the center of the combustor so that fuel from the fuel injectors is turned into the main flow. The ensures rapid mixing which enables combustion to be completed within a distance on the order of one foot.

Growing community of inventors

Schenectady, NY, United States of America

Richard Edwin Warren, Jr